Using a ground wire as a neutral

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robg

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I'm trying to find an NEC reference.

Here's the situation: In a showroom for a commercial Audio/Video dealer, all of the light switch junction boxes were originally wired without neutral wires--in other words, the neutrals were run directly to the light fixtures and 2-conductor-with-ground wires were run to the switch junction boxes--the black conductors were used as a 'hots' and the white conductors were used as 'switched hots' (and not taped or otherwise marked to indicate that they were being used as anything other than a neutral).

Now the A/V dealer wants to use RF-controlled dimmers that require a neutral and a hot.

Another electrician was hired to install these new dimmers. That electrician connected both the neutral lead and the ground lead from the new dimmers to the ground wire coming into the switch junction box.

As I understand it, this "ground" wire is now a current carrying wire--making it a grounded neutral. So, as I understand it, this wire is no longer an equipment grounding wire.

I think this is a code violation--but I'm not sure what the correct reference is. I would like to be able to pass this along to the other electrician. Could someone help me out with the correct code reference? Would it be 250.142(B)?

Thanks,
Rob G.
 
200.7 Use of Insulation of a White or Gray Color or with Three Continuous White Stripes.
(C) (2) Where a cable assembly contains an insulated conductor for single-pole, 3-way or 4-way switch loops and the conductor with white or gray insulation or a marking of three continuous white stripes is used for the supply to the switch but not as a return conductor from the switch to the switched outlet. In these applications, the conductor with white or gray insulation or with three continuous white stripes shall be permanently reidentified to indicate its use by painting or other effective means at its terminations and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible.

250.6 Objectionable Current over Grounding Conductors.
(A) Arrangement to Prevent Objectionable Current. The grounding of electrical systems, circuit conductors, surge arresters, and conductive non?current-carrying materials and equipment shall be installed and arranged in a manner that will prevent objectionable current over the grounding conductors or grounding paths.

250.24 (A) (5) Load-Side Grounding Connections. A grounding connection shall not be made to any grounded conductor on the load side of the service disconnecting means except as otherwise permitted in this article.

404.9 Provisions for General-Use Snap Switches.
(B) Grounding. Snap switches, including dimmer and similar control switches, shall be effectively grounded and shall provide a means to ground metal faceplates, whether or not a metal faceplate is installed. Snap switches shall be considered effectively grounded if either of the following conditions is met:
(1) The switch is mounted with metal screws to a metal box or to a nonmetallic box with integral means for grounding devices.
(2) An equipment grounding conductor or equipment bonding jumper is connected to an equipment grounding termination of the snap switch.

The way I read this there are several sections of the NEC that is in violation
 
UL has indicated that in some situations, normal operating current is permitted to be on the EGC from certain types of devices such as occupancy sensors under UL 773. I believe the limit is .5 mA.

In the situation you describe, I would use Article 200 as your basis of rejection.
 
I would not call them Neutrals but the grounded conductors that should be re identified as feeds (hot) to switch under 200.7(C)
 
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